Sara damned herself with threat video, says Ridon

The video recording of Vice President Sara Duterte allegedly threatening high-ranking officials would be sufficient to prove that the remarks were intentional, even without additional evidence from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), according to a member of the House Committee on Justice.

With NBI Director Melvin Matibag set to attend the upcoming impeachment proceedings against Duterte on Wednesday, 29 April, Terry Ridon said it was important for the agency to present its findings related to the alleged threats contained in the video.

In a previous interview, Matibag revealed that the NBI was pursuing a lead regarding Duterte’s remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The NBI chief said details would be disclosed “at the appropriate time” while confirming the bureau’s participation in the House justice panel hearing.

However, Ridon said the recording itself already provided a sufficient basis. “The truth is, even without the additional evidence of the threat, in reality, the video will speak for itself,” Ridon said during a radio interview.

“We saw in the video there was an actual threat toward the President from the Vice President, and she even said ‘no joke,’ right?” he added.

Aside from discussions on the alleged threats, the House committee is also expected to tackle concerns over the opening of the box containing tax records of Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio.

During the committee’s latest proceeding, members approved a motion to defer the opening of the sealed green box.

The development came after Charlito Martin Mendoza, commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, said provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code allowed such documents to be discussed only “in an executive session.”

Sui generis

Mendoza and members of the committee said they would study the legal issue and determine how the law should be interpreted, given the sui generis or unique nature of impeachment proceedings.

As for the vote on probable cause for the two impeachment complaints under discussion, Ridon said the evidence already presented was “more than enough” to justify a favorable vote.

“I think it’s sufficient, more than enough, the evidence of probable cause on unexplained wealth, which will rise to betrayal of public trust and a culpable violation of the Constitution,” Ridon said.

“So, the discussion on confidential funds are done, the discussion of unexplained wealth are done… all that’s left to determine probable cause are the threats toward the President, which will be done on Wednesday,” he added.

If at least 21 of the committee’s 39 members vote to establish probable cause, the articles of impeachment will be presented before the House plenary once sessions resume in May.

From there, lawmakers will determine whether the complaints will be transmitted to the Senate, which will serve as an impeachment court.